Game device

ABSTRACT

A game device having a game board, the top of which defines a playing area with a 360* circular series of ball receiving recesses in the playing area identified by different card value indicia similar to that of the respective cards of a set of standard playing cards. A rotary ball propelling device is mounted on the game board centrally of the ball receiving recesses and is continuously and uniformly rotated during playing of the game by a battery operated motor whereby a player may selectively, at any given time, place a ball in the propelling device and have the device immediately project the ball outwardly therefrom over the playing area toward the ball receiving recesses. The player thus can effectively aim his &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;shot&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; of a ball by properly timing the placing of a ball in the propelling device as it is rotated.

United States Patent [191 Breslow 11] 3,840,235 [451 Oct. v1974 1 GAME DEVICE [75] Inventor: Jeffrey D. Breslow, Highland Park,

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 319,300

[52] US. Cl 273/119 A, 124/4, 124/48 [51] Int. Cl. A63f 7/10 [58] Field of Search 273/119 R, 119 A, 120 R,

273/120 A, 121 R, 121 A; 273/123 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 497.910 5/1893 Davids 273/119 R 575,097 l/1897 Beman 273/123 R 728,327 5/1903 Tanron 273/119 A 1,104,469 7/1914 Beseman s 273/125 R 3.166323 1/1965 Anderson... 273/119 R Dl63.281 5/1951 Haupenthal 273/119 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 211,283 2/1924 Great Britain 273/120 R 812,409 8/1951 Germany 273/120 Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Coffee and Sweeney [5 7] ABSTRACT A game device having a game board, the top of which defines a playing area with a 360 circular series of ball receiving recesses in the playing area identified by different card value indicia similar to that of the respective cards of a set of standard playing cards. A rotary ball propelling device is mounted on the game board centrally of the ball receiving recesses and is continuously and uniformly rotated during playing of the game by a battery operated motor whereby a player may selectively, at any given time, place a ball in the propelling device and have the device immediatelyiproject the ball outwardly therefrom over the playing area toward the ball receiving recesses. The player thus can effectively aim his shot of a ball by properly timing the placing of a ball in the propelling device as it is rotated.

- 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures GAME DEVICE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to games or game apparatus and particularly to a game device adapted to simulate various card games played with standard sets of playing cards.

Various games of the character described are known wherein-spinners are used to propel balls or other objects radially outwardly under centrifugal force toward an angular series of ball receiving recesses or the like, the recesses usually extending 360 about the spinner which is pivotally mounted generally centrally of the recesses. In some instances the ball receiving recesses or positions are identified by different card value indicia identical to that of the respective cards of a given set of playing cards. In most instances, the spinner is manually manipulated and the element of chance usually controls the play of the game regarding the projecting of a ball into a particular card value recess. This invention is directed to providing a new and improved game of the character described, particularly a mechanized game which involves a degree of skill by the players in propelling the playing balls into the card value recesses.

The principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mechanized game device which is adapted to simulate the play of card games which employ a given set of playing cards.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, 52 ball receiving recesses are positioned on a playing surface in a 360 circular pattern about a centrally located rotary ball propelling device. The recesses are identifled by different card value indicia identical to that of the respective cards of a set of standard playing cards. having 52 cards in number, with four suits, and the 13 cards of each suit ranging from the standard ace through the king values. Indicia means is provided to divide the recesses into four 90 sectors correspondingly identified by indicia representing the four different suits of a standard set of playing cards. The different card value indicia of each suit-representing sector are arranged in progressive order from the ace through the king values.

The ball propelling device has an upper vertically oriented chute portion for receiving balls individually from a player of the game, the chute portion being in communication with a lower radially oriented projecting portion along which the balls are projected outwardly under centrifugal force. The ball propelling device is powered by a battery operated motor mounted beneath the game board, with a rotatably driven shaft protruding through the top of the game board and connected to the ball propelling device for rotating the same.

Preferably a plurality of sets of play balls are provided, each set being distinguishable from the balls of any other set whereby the players of the game can keep track of the cards in each players individual hand as represented by the balls in the card value recesses.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description .taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially broken away at one corner, of a game device embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the device shown in FIG. 1, taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2. 1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the game device of the present invention includes a generally square game board, generally designated 10, a portion of the top of which defines a playing area 12 over which balls 14 may be propelled outwardly from a central ball propelling device, generally designated 16, toward a plurality of ball receiving recesses 18.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the playing area 12 is defined by a central wall portion 20 of the game board. The top of the wall portion 20 is covered with a layer 22 of felt, or the like, and is maintained in a raised position by upstanding peripheral side walls 24 of the game board.

The ball receiving recesses 18 extend in a 360 circular pattern or series about the playing area 12 defined by the top of the wall portion 20 of the game board, as

best seen in FIG. 1. Actually, the ball receiving recesses 18 are formed by a circular channel defining trough, generally designated 26 (FIG. 2), having an annular bottom wall'28 and a plurality of spacer partitions 30 along the trough defining the recesses 18 between the partitions.

The game board has an upwardly and outwardly inclined marginal top wall portion 32 surrounding the ball receiving recesses 18 to provide retaining means to prevent the balls from being propelled beyond the recesses.

An enlarged storage recess or pocket 34 is formed in the top wall portion 32 at each comer of the generally square game board for holding or storing a plurality of balls 14 for respective players of the game. Preferably at least four sets of playing balls are provided for four players of the game, each set of balls being distinguishable from the balls of any other set, such as by coloring, so that the players may keep track of the play of the game.

In the embodiment of the invention shown herein, fifty-two of the ball receiving recesses 18 are formed in the circular pattern thereof about the ball propelling device 16. The recesses are identified by the 52 different card value indicia of a standard set of playing cards. More particularly, the playing area 12 is divided into four sectors, as by lines 36, with 13 recesses on the outer periphery of each sector. Each sector is correspondingly identified by indicia 38a through 38d representing the four different suits of the standard set of playing cards (clubs, diamonds, hearts, and

spades, respectively). Each of the recesses in each sector is identified by different card value indicia 40 representing in progressive order each of the 13 card values from ace through king in each standard V cilitating selection of the ball receiving recesses by the orderly fashion of arranging the indicia. A player thus can effectively aim his shots of the balls by properly using the ball propelling device 16.

More particularly, the ball propelling device has a spinner portion which includes an upper vertically oriented chute portion 42 for receiving balls individually from players of the game, with passage means 44 in communication with passage means 46 of a lower radially oriented projecting portion 48 of the spinner.

Power means is provided for continuously and uniformly rotating the ball propelling device during the playing of the game whereby a player may selectively at any given time place a ball in the chute portion 42 and have the ball immediately propelled radially along the projecting portion 48 outwardly from the ball propelling device over the playing area toward the ball receiving recesses. In this manner, a player can effectively aid his shots of the balls by properly timing the placing of an individual ball into the ball propelling device as it is rotated by the power means.

The power means includes a battery operated motor 50 which, along with at least one battery 52, is mounted within a housing 54 on the underside of the top wall which defines the playing area 12 of the game board 10. The motor has a drive shaft 56 having a pulley 58 mounted on the end thereof. A vertically oriented, rotatably driven shaft 60 is mounted within the housing 54 and has a pulley 62 fixed thereto intermediate the ends thereof. The shaft 60 is rotatably driven by the motor through a belt 64 wrapped around the pulleys 58 and 62. The driven shaft 60 is journalled at its lower end in the housing 54 by means of a pin 66 at its lower end. The upper end of the driven shaft 60 protrudes through an aperture 68 in the top wall 20 of the game board and is press fit within a bore 70 on the underside of the ball propelling device 16.Thus, as the motor 50 is operated, through the battery 52, the ball propelling device 16 is continuously and uniformly rotated as the play of the game proceeds.

An on-off switch, generally designated 72, is mounted on one of the side walls 24 of the game board and has a switch actuating button 74 exposed for manual manipulation. The switch is connected in series with the motor through conductor-line 76 (FIG. 3) and to one side of a conductive battery clip 78 through line 80. The opposite side of the battery clip is connected to the motor through line 82.

It is apparent that the mechanized game device described above can be used by individuals to play, by way of simulation, practically any game which can be played with a standard deck of playing cards. However, in addition, a degree of skill may be employed by the players of the game in selecting their hand" by properly timing the placing of balls individually into the chute portion 42 of the ball propelling device 16.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A game device, comprising: a game board, the top of which defines a stationary playing area, a substantially 360 annular series of ball receiving recesses in the playing area and identified by different indicia means, a rotary ball propelling device mounted on the game board centrally of and spaced from said series of ball receiving recesses for receiving balls individually and immediately propelling the individual balls outwardly toward said recesses under centrifugal force, a set of play balls adapted to be individually placed into and propelled radially from said ball propelling device over said stationary playing area toward said recesses, power means for continuously and uniformly rotating the ball propelling device during playing of the game, said ball propelling device having an upper open ended vertically oriented chute portion for receiving balls individually as dropped into said vertically oriented chute portion by players of the game, said vertical oriented chute portion being in direct communication with a single lower radially oriented projecting chute portion of the ball propelling device along which individual balls are propelled outwardly under centrifugal force over said stationary playing area whereby a player may selectively at any given time place a ball in the vertically oriented chute portion of the powered ball propelling device and have the device immediately propel the ball outwardly along said radially projecting chute portion over the stationary playing area toward the ball receiving recesses so that the player can effectively aim his shots of the balls by properly timing the placing of a ball propelling device as thesame is rotated by said power means, said stationary playing area being unobstructed between the outer end of said projecting chute portion and said ball receiving recesses.

2.- The game device of claim 1 including 52 of said ball receiving recesses identified by the 52 different card value indicia of a standard set of playing cards, and including indicia means dividing the recesses into four sectors correspondingly identified by indicia representing the four different suits of the standard set of playing cards.

3. The game device of claim 2 wherein the different card value indicia of each suit representing sector are arranged in progressive order from the ace through the king values.

4. The game device of claim 1 including a plurality of sets of said play balls, each set of play balls being distinguishable from the balls of any other set.

5. The game device of claim 1 wherein said power means is mounted on said game board beneath the top thereof which defines said playing area and includes a battery operated motor and rotatably driven shaft means protruding through the top of said game board and connected to the ball propelling device for continuously and generally uniformly rotating the same. 

1. A game device, comprising: a game board, the top of which defines a stationary playing area, a substantially 360* annular series of ball receiving recesses in the playing area and identified by different indicia means, a rotary ball propelling device mounted on the game board centrally of and spaced from said series of ball receiving recesses for receiving balls individually and immediately propelling the individual balls outwardly toward said recesses under centrifugal force, a set of play balls adapted to be individually placed into and propelled radially from said ball propelling device over said stationary playing area toWard said recesses, power means for continuously and uniformly rotating the ball propelling device during playing of the game, said ball propelling device having an upper open ended vertically oriented chute portion for receiving balls individually as dropped into said vertically oriented chute portion by players of the game, said vertical oriented chute portion being in direct communication with a single lower radially oriented projecting chute portion of the ball propelling device along which individual balls are propelled outwardly under centrifugal force over said stationary playing area whereby a player may selectively at any given time place a ball in the vertically oriented chute portion of the powered ball propelling device and have the device immediately propel the ball outwardly along said radially projecting chute portion over the stationary playing area toward the ball receiving recesses so that the player can effectively aim his ''''shots'''' of the balls by properly timing the placing of a ball propelling device as the same is rotated by said power means, said stationary playing area being unobstructed between the outer end of said projecting chute portion and said ball receiving recesses.
 2. The game device of claim 1 including 52 of said ball receiving recesses identified by the 52 different card value indicia of a standard set of playing cards, and including indicia means dividing the recesses into four 90* sectors correspondingly identified by indicia representing the four different suits of the standard set of playing cards.
 3. The game device of claim 2 wherein the different card value indicia of each suit representing sector are arranged in progressive order from the ''''ace'''' through the ''''king'''' values.
 4. The game device of claim 1 including a plurality of sets of said play balls, each set of play balls being distinguishable from the balls of any other set.
 5. The game device of claim 1 wherein said power means is mounted on said game board beneath the top thereof which defines said playing area and includes a battery operated motor and rotatably driven shaft means protruding through the top of said game board and connected to the ball propelling device for continuously and generally uniformly rotating the same. 